Rubber from a 3D printer – the revolution for spare parts

Unthinkable a few years ago – now a reality. Thanks to the latest manufacturing processes, it has recently become possible to create top-quality rubber spare parts for your old and youngtimer from the 3D printer.

From the bumper corner to the window seal to the axle boot, there are countless components made of rubber on our automobiles. The most commonly used are EPDM, NBR and SBR rubber, all made from a natural rubber. Unfortunately, UV rays, chemical influences such as oil and normal wear and tear from use cause the rubber parts to lose their color over the years, become brittle and simply crumble. This not only looks unsightly, but can mean that all of a sudden it gets wet in the vehicle, or it doesn’t go on at all.

Thanks to new additive manufacturing processes, in particular Multi Jet Fusion (MJF), it is now possible to 3D print components with equivalent or even better properties than the original. Unlike sintering or FDM processes, in an MJF printer the base material of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) in powder form is brought into shape by liquid hardeners and under certain temperatures, layer by layer. The hardener is precisely applied using nozzles, allowing the lowest tolerances and sharp resolutions to be achieved. The part can then be smoothed for a flawless surface and colored in the desired color. Only the size is still somewhat limited, currently the possible space is about 35cm³.

Due to the MJF process, we can now produce single pieces and spare parts in small batches much more economically than with traditional manufacturing methods, such as injection molding. In addition, the fully synthetic TPU has several advantages over the “old” materials. For one, unlike most rubber elastomers, TPU is more than 80% recyclable. It also ages significantly more slowly under stress than conventional rubber and retains its flexible properties longer even under heavy use.

Do you also have a rubber part on your old or youngtimer that is crumbling away in your hands? Then make a non-binding offer for a reproduction on our homepage.